art

The loophonium: a toilet-themed instrument

Not just a piss of art, but a fully functional instrument

Perhaps not everyone knows that there’s a musical instrument inspired by a toilet, its name is loophonium which is a combination of the words loo and euphonium, a brass instrument.

The loophonium

The loophonium was really played at a concert by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra on April Fools’ day in 1960.

It was made by Fritz Spiegl who was the principal flutist of the orchestra as well as a composer, writer, and humorist.

In 2003, the Walker Art Gallery, based in Liverpool, paid £2,640 for this instrument at Sotheby’s (a famous British auction house) after Fritz’s death at 77 y.o. the same year.

A loovely instrument!

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